Car-coupling.



CAR 'GOU'PL1NG.

APPLICATION FILED IFEB. 4, 1911.

Patented Jan. 2, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

QN a) New. WN

PIII,

L. (REGLER.

GAR GOUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED P13114, 1911.

1,013,220. Patented Jan.2, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

OF WEST HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY.

LUCIUS RIEGLER,

CAR-COUPLING.

Letters Patent. Patented Jan. 2,1912.

seriai No. 606,496.

1,013,220. specificata'. of

Application led February 4, 1911.

the balls 20. These balls are automatically advanced inward and converged as soon as they have been cleared by the head 25 of the entering bolt 23 and are then locked so that in this way is prevented. When it is desired to uncouple the cars, the balls are unlocked, so that they may be readily crowded aside or diverged by the receding bolt head, such unlocking being preferably under the control of the engineer. The means for actuating the balls in the manner described are as follows:

T0 all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, LUoiUs Rinciinii, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, residing at Test Hoboken, county of Hudson, and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Car-Coupler, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a car coupler of novel construction which permits the cars to be automatically coupled in a reliable inanner, while the uncoupling is placed under the full control of the engineer, so that delays and accidents in making up trains 4are avoided. Within lthe draw head 17 plays a plunger In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1. 26 having a head 27 that enters the axial is a bottom view partly broken away, of a bore 21 of the drawhead and is thus accessiair of adjoining cars provided with my imble to the h ead 2.5 ofthe opposed bolt 23. proved coupler; Fig. 2 a bottom view o the Plunger 26 is guided within a rear tubular coupler; Fig. 3 a longitudinal. section thereeXteIlSlOn 28 0f the head 17 and also in a.

bearing 29 depending from the draw bar 10. Upon the plunger 26 is fastened a collar 80, to which are pivoted links 31 that are in. -turn pivoted at their outer ends to the comparatively long rear arms of elbow levers 32. These levers are fulcrumed at their elbows upon a fixed annulus 10a encompassing the plunger 26 and secured to the draw bar 10. The shorter front arms of levers are pivoted to links 33 which are in turn pivoted to a sliding collar 34, encompassing the plunger 26 and riding upon a reduced section 35 of the tubular extension 28. To the collar 311 are secured the rear ends of a number of rods 36 arranged concentrically around the plunger 26, and corresponding in number to the number of balls 20. At its forward end,

of; Fig. 4f an end-view Fig. 5 a longitudinal section through a pair of coupled draw heads, and Fig. 6 a cross section on line (if-6, Fig. 5.

The draw bar 10 adapted to turn on a bolt 11 of the car'bottom 12 is guided during oscillation by laterally extending curve( wings 13 arranged concentrically to the bolt 11 and having curved slots 14 which are engaged by headed guide pins 15 depending from the bottom 12. The outer end of the draw bar 10 is provided with a depending flange or transverse plate 16 carrying the draw head 17. rlhis draw head has a bellshaped mouth 18 and is provided at a suitable distance back of said mouth with a plurality of outwardly iiaring sockets 19 that accommodate radially displaceable each rod is operatively connected to a reballs, rollers 01' other grasping menlberg Q0, CSSd Slldt) 37 gtllded 111 the head SlllGS said balls being of such diameter that they 3( have beveled edges and are accommomay be partly projected into the axial bere dated within undercut surface recesses $8 of 21 of the draw head but cannot fall out of the heed, SO that they may be freely reciprothe Sockets 19 Draw head 17 ie preferably catedalong the head. Slides 37 are reduced mede of hexagonal ferm, 'While a belt 23 in thickness at their forward ends as at 39 fulcrumed to plate 16 at 22 is adapted to be t0 Delllt im Outward play 0f the balls when said reduced portions are brought opposite the balls.

As thus far described, the operation is as follows: When two cars are to be coupled, each bolt 23 (the outward play of which is limited by a stop 40) will enter the bellshaped mouth 18 of the opposed draw head and will by the flare of said mouth be swung with its outer end into axial alinement with the draw head. As the cars come together, the bolt heads 25 will engage the plunger heads 27 and thus slide said plungers inward.

accommodated at its rear end within a longitudinal surface groove 24 of said head. The forward end of the bolt is headed as at 25, and is so deliected inward, that it extends in axial alinement with the bore 21, when the bolt is seated within the groove 24. It should here be stated that the two cooperating couplings of a pair of adjoining cars, are of twin construction, the headed bolt 23 of one coupling being adapted to enter the bell-shaped mouth of the other coupling, to which it is locked by the action of the withdrawal of the bolt ver 41 is connected adapted to 'the cars are plunger 26 upon the This inward movement will by the collar 30, a plurality of radially movable grasping links 31, levers 32, links 33, sliding collar members carried thereby, recessed slides op- 34 and rods 36 cause the slides 37 to move eratively engaging said outward along the head 17. Thus after the ab f operative position, a plunger head has passed the balls 20,"the thickened slidablel within the head and operatively portions of the slides will come into engageconnected to the recessed slides, and a bolt ment with the balls to converge them toward with enlarged head pivoted to the draw the axis of the draw head and lock the same head and having an inwardly deflected forin a cluster back of the head 25. In this ward section adapted to way each bolt 23 is coupled and is automatiaxial alinement with the draw head.

cally locked a-gainst withdrawal. The means In a car coupler, a tubular draw head, for retracting the slides are preferably con- I a plurality of radially movable grasping trollable by the engineer and are shown to members carried thereby, recessed slides opconsist of a lever 41 pivot-ally connected to eratively engaging said members and movan arm 42 of the bar 10 by a swivel block able out of operative position, a plunger 43'in which said lever is free to slide.l Lemovable within the head, a collar mounted to the plunger 26" by a upon the'plunger, elbow levers connected to collar 44 and is provided with a latch 45 said collar, a sliding collar connected to the engage a toothed segment 46 elbow levers, and means for connecting said fastened to the bar 10. The stem 47 of the sliding collar with the recessed slides. latch is influenced by a spring 48 and is by 3. In a car coupler, a tubular draw head, an angle lever 49 and a rod 50 connected to a plurality of radially the piston of a compressed air or steam cylmembers carried thereby, recessed slides operatively engaging said members and movable out of operative position, a plunger movable within the head, la collar mounted upon the plunger, a rst set of links pivoted to the collar, elbow levers fulcrumed on a stationary part ofthe draw bar and having arms ot different lengt-hs, said elbow levers being pivoted with their longer arms to said links, a second set of links pivoted to the shorter lever arms, a sliding collar connected to the second set of links, and

brought opposite the balls 20, so that when separated, said balls may be pushed outward by the heads 25 and permit the bolts 23 to be withdrawn. In order to facilitate the advance movement of the plunwith the recessed slides.

In a car coupler, altubular draw head having a plurality of Haring sockets, radially displaceable balls within the sockets, a headed plunger movable within the draw head, a sliding collar operatively connected to the plunger, a plurality of recessed slides connected to the sliding collar and adapted to engage the balls, and a coperating headed coupling bolt adapted to engage the plunger-head and to become interlocked wit-h the balls. l LUCIUSlItIEGLER.

of the plunger 26. his spring will be compressed during coupling and its stored up energy will during uncoupling coperate with the cylinder 51 for advancing the retraction of the latch 45. It 1s of course obvious that the coupling may also be applied for mooring vessels and for similar purposes.

I claim:

1. In a car coupler, a tubular draw head,"

Witnesses:

FRANK v. BRmsEN, lARTHUR E, ZUMPE.

xx Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Washington, I). C. v

Commissioner of Patents,

be brought into means for connecting Vsaid sliding collar.

members and mov-l movable grasping 

